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Victorian Biotech Improves Health in Developing Countries
27 August 2010, Melbourne “Victoria’s biomedical research and biotechnology sector have 120 commercial products and mature research projects either in the pipeline or on the market, to fight infectious diseases that contribute to the leading causes of death in resource poor communities,” said Ms Michelle Gallaher, CEO BioMelbourne Network.
This includes some
· 19 products on the market
· 15 malaria projects,
· 30 HIV/AIDS projects
· 19 AIDS/HIV projects, and
· 15 hepatitis projects.
Total Victorian R&D expenditure on projects targeted to poor countries is estimated to be $340 million per annum.
Leading the way are the Burnet Institute and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and Victorian biotechnology companies such as CSL, Universal Biosensors, Immuron, Halcygen Parmaceuticals, Cellestis and Axxin with commercial products in the market.
Ms Gallaher made the announcement at the BioMelbourne Network’s leadership forum for Victorian biotechnology CEOs.
The announcement coincides with Melbourne hosting the 63rd Annual United Nations Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organization Conference, “Advance Global Health – Achieve the Millennium Development Goals.” (30 August to 1 September 2010).
Mr Geoff Adlide, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI, Geneva) spoke at the luncheon.
Mr Adlide commended Victoria’s biotechnology and biomedical research efforts in this important and often neglected area. GAVI works to save the lives of children and improve people’s health outcomes by increasing access to immunisation in poor countries.
How Victorian Biotechnology is Combating infectious diseases
Medicines Development Medicines Development brings industry standard development methods to facilitate the efficient development and delivery of affordable products urgently required in the resource poor setting. Our goal is to identify appropriate products that address unmet medical needs, and to apply our specialist development expertise to drive the development to produce low cost licensed medicines and vaccines. As a not-for-profit charity, we are free to operate in areas where potential returns on investment may limit commercial return for profit-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Our therapeutic focus is on the diseases of the resource poor settings, including infectious diseases and oncology. Medicines Development’s model is to pursue registration of products in both resource poor and developed countries, with returns from the latter used to further push down the cost of medicines for those who can least afford them.
Burnet Institute - Low Cost HIV/AIDS Kit
Scientists at the Burnet Institute have developed a rapid diagnostic test for the measurement of CD4 T-cells, a marker of the immune system, for people living with HIV and AIDS.
The kit will enable patients to receive appropriate treatment immediately without having to wait for reference laboratory test results, which requires a repeat visit.
The test kit design will be similar to a home pregnancy test. In a recent collaboration, Burnet Institute has joined with Australian biomedical applications company Axxin Ltd to develop an instrument reader specifically designed for use with the CD4 test.
Burnet Institute’s Associate Professor David Anderson said the new test kit and reader are significant advancements and will be able to guide treatment decisions at the point-of-care without extensive training or sophisticated equipment and should lead to improved access to antiretroviral drugs, especially in developing and resource-constrained countries.
Researchers estimate the cost of the kit to be less than AU$2.
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute - Malaria Vaccine
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute scientists have created the world’s first genetically-modified strain of the malaria parasite to be used as a live vaccine against the disease. The vaccine entered clinical trials in the United States in May 2010.
Professor Alan Cowman, head of the institute’s Infection and Immunity division, said similar vaccines had been tested in mice and offered 100 per cent protection against malaria infection. He said it was hoped the vaccine would produce similar results in humans.
Professor Cowman said in developing the vaccine the research team had deleted two key genes in the Plasmodium falciparum parasite – which causes the form of malaria most deadly to humans. This approach to vaccine development, which uses a weakened form of a disease-causing organism, has proven successful in eradicating smallpox and controlling diseases such as flu and polio.
Biotechnology will play an integral role in providing solutions to tackle global challenges such as improved global health outcomes, food supply and climate change.
Further information on Victoria’s biotechnology sector can be found at the Victorian BioPortal www.vicportal.org, the gateway to Victoria’s biotechnology industry.
